TV Review: Justified 3.13, "Slaughterhouse"
A pitch perfect finale to a possibly peerless season of television. Also, piggy bank puns.
rating: 5
Its an unfamiliar and somewhat jarring pleasure critiquing such an exemplary piece of television. As a critic, one deconstructs, analyzes, surmises; and usually it tends to be a bit easier when whats being evaluated was executed poorly or fails to work well because, lets face it, its easier to poke holes than to praise or, God forbid, actually create. But Justified wonderfully denies critics such easy outs and I couldnt be more delighted for it. This isnt to say Justified is perfect or entirely devoid of flaws, but it certainly comes close. Last week I read a review of the last episode, Coalition, in which the reviewer praised the episode for its successes, but gently wondered amidst all the action where its themes, those unifying concepts asserted throughout a work of art, have been. Im not knocking that critics assessment, but I found it interesting as while I do agree it can be easy to miss the series various themes woven throughout the complex plots and high octane action, but I tentatively then and definitely now think that this past season of Justified has had an distinct focus on family, specifically fatherhood. This has been a persistent theme throughout the series beginning in season one with the tensions between Boyd and his father Bo as well as of course between Raylan and Arlo. The second season shifted focus to a more maternal perspective with closer examinations of Raylans Aunt Helen and Mags relationship to her sons and especially Loretta. This season has continued this tradition with a slightly greater emphasis on fathers once more with our protagonist confronting the realities of preparing for his own bundle of joy with Winona, receiving fatherly advice from Art, and watching Boyd and Arlo grow closer, most notably in Coalition and Slaughterhouse. The episode picked up right where the last left off, at the scene of the explosion which knocked out Boyd and awoke Quarles to the realization that he, wants to go home. Our strong suspicions that Trooper Tom, shot at the same scene, has died are confirmed setting Raylan after Quarles with a newfound determination. This was also the first scene which explicitly mentions elements of family where Boyd excuses himself from the interrogation, always the gentleman, to speak with his concerned family member, Arlo. I didnt know how to expect Boyd would reprimand Arlo for pulling a gun on Ava so he could attempt to go after Dickie, but I was a little surprised Boyd was so gentle and forgiving of the man, skillfully played by Raymond J. Barry whom can alternate the character between righteous anger and genuine vulnerability at the drop of a hat and do so with absolute believability. As touched on last episode and throughout this one, the two have truly grown fond of each other. Raylan takes Boyds lead and confronts Duffy in a wonderful call back to an earlier episode of the season, Harlan Roulette, and fires the single bullet loaded pistol at Duffy until he gets what hes looking for out of the always hilariously frustrated Wynn. Not only was this a great scene for Duffys classic reactions and Raylans cooler than cool demeanor, but most of all for Raylans impromptu analysis of the criminal psychology of doing what one feels despite crossing clearly defined boundaries. Im so glad the Duffster survived another season as his appearances are always nothing short of priceless. Raylan then moves up the latter to Limehouse to confront the man on what Raylan considered a broken promise to deliver Quarles and Boyd to the loving arms of justice and in a dramatic draw down (is there any other kind?) is forced to retreat. We then found out the whereabouts of Quarles as he takes hostage a family on a camping trip returning from a Christian rock festival, another contribution to the theme of family. During their newly altered trip we learn that Quarles mother died when he was very young further contributing to the significance of positive parental figures in the formation of individuals lives. Its here Quarles makes a furious yet strangely desperate and almost childlike call to his former employer, Theo Tonin, in the attempt to find a way in which Quarles can return to his home of Detroit. Tonin informs Quarles that for $500,000 he can make things right with his family and sets Quarles on his final mission. The audience then sees Boyd relaying the information passed along to him from newly adorned Sheriff Shelby that the authorities have been tipped off as to the death of Devil (by Limehouse) and are now closing in on Boyd with plans to arrest him shortly, apparently sqaring away Boyd and the new Sheriff he put in office. The crew mistakenly assumes Arlo, in his deteriorating mental state, informed Limehouse as to this fact and again avoids disciplining him as they would anyone else. Ava is visibly disturbed as she understands that Boyd plans on turning himself in as opposed to bringing the police closer to his people. Once Art, Raylan and other officers come and take Boyd away, Arlo takes the opportunity to in an uncharacteristic move apologize to Raylan for the poor father hes always been to Raylan, again noting Helens post mortem influence, in yet another reference to family and fatherhood. Afterward, Johnny points a distraught Ava in the direction of her prostitute, Ella May, as the true source of the leaked information regarding Devils murder. We later learn Johnny was the actual traitor and it will be interesting to see how his failed attempts to get rid of the man Johnny sees as responsible for his current wheelchair bound state will play out next season (Justified has in fact been renewed for another 13 episodes awesome!). I liked where this scene led Ava as we havent really seen how her newfound responsibility as the proprietor of Harlans prostitution business has affected her or her employees. I would love to see more of this side of Ava next season, but in Slaughterhouse her anger over the suspicion Ella May had something to do with Boyds predicament totally dominated as Ava ruthlessly manhandled the john Ella May was servicing and not only slapped Ella May around interrogating her, but also punched in the mouth for threatening her, harkening to the type of pimp Ava supposedly intended to replace.
Raylan eventually gets a phone call from Quarles instructing the Marshal to meet him and when he does, Quarles uses his hostages to ensnare Raylan and ultimately brings them all to Limehouse. I loved that when Raylan finally saw Quarles Travis Bickle (Taxi Driver) quick draw gun mechanism in action he simply remarked, Thats cute. At Limehouses, Quarles attempt to extort the puppet master for the half million resulted in perhaps the funniest visual gag of the season (if not the series) in Limehouses piggy bank (where else does an illegitimate banker/butcher keep his funds but in the carcass of a pig?) as well as the bloody climax to Quarles destruction which was just so, so awesome my jaw dropped to the floor as soon as he was dis-armed, a very satisfying end to what has been a truly remarkable descent from the picture of a confident crime kingpin to a not so quietly psychotic mess. This scene not only sealed Quarles fate but also that of Limehouses former lieutenant, Errol, the once faithful right hand man to Limehouse, as in a previous scene there was yet another contribution to the father-son theme in which Limehouse recalled a fond memory of Errol as a boy before exiling the man for his inconsistent loyalty. The bloody showdown also revealed that Arlo was in fact the shooter of Trooper Tom, setting the stage for the final sequence of the season finale. As it turns out, on the surface Arlo shot Tom to protect Boyd, but the very last scene of the episode, in which Raylan visits Winona to gain some sense of family, reveals that Arlo simply shot a man in a cowboy hat holding a gun implying that Arlo actually shot to kill a man he believed was probably his son. This looks to be the final nail in the coffin of Raylan and Arlos barely held together familial bond. This has been long coming and after three seasons, although Im sure well see more of Arlo next season, it appears that the long gestating meditation on Raylan and Arlos contentious father-son dynamic will be reduced to that of lawman and convict. Arlo not only confessed to killing Tom but also Devil, letting Boyd off the hook and releasing him back into the wild so that he and Limehouse will both be free to cause trouble again next season, although it seems that if trouble doesnt find its way to Limehouse he may be content to quietly remain in Nobles Holler as his actions have always been more of a pragmatic protector as opposed to Boyds hunger for power. So concludes what has been an intimidatingly impressive season of Justified and I must mention what an immense pleasure it has been to watch and review each week I hope you all enjoyed watching and reading as well. Its a shame not more series can achieve what Justified does so consistently and with such harmony in terms of not merely action, but also story and character development, not to mention spot on writing, directing and acting, as well as wry and hysterical humor. The superb elements of narrative are only topped by the series fantastically detailed world-building and I simply cannot wait to revisit Harlan again next year, hopefully with Raylan in just as devastated a state as hes been these last few episodes as he is such a fascinating character to watch be pushed to his limits. Id also like to briefly take the opportunity to mention my seething excitement over watching and reviewing FXs groundbreaking game-changer, the next-level comedy series from the king of stand-up, the brilliant Louis C.K., Louie, which premieres June 28th. Im also very much anticipating Wilfreds return to FX, as well as Russell Brands new talk show, Brand X, both set to come out this summer on FX (hopefully to be followed shortly thereafter by the adaptation of Brian Michael Bendis superhero crime noir series, Powers). Okay, sorry for all the shameless promotion. Oh, and did anyone else notice the strategically placed commercials for Adult Swims Justified parody, Eagle Heart? Ive got to check that out as well. (I have a hard time letting go.)